about
bill balzer, pH.d.
Bill Balzer is author of Lean Higher Education: Increasing the Value and Performance of University Processes 2nd Edition (2020, Routledge), an update to his 2010 book and acknowledged to be the definitive book on Lean Higher Education (LHE). Bill is also co-editor of the forthcoming book, Hoshin Kanri in Higher Education: A Guide to Strategy Development, Deployment, and Management (2023, Routledge). Balzer’s research interests include understanding and improving the application of Lean principles and practices in higher education and expanding the contributions of Industrial-Organizational psychology to the understanding, application, and evaluation of Lean and higher education. Balzer continues to publish and present work on LHE and has been an invited keynote speaker on the topic of LHE. He has participated in numerous university initiatives to improve university processes and effectiveness, and advises colleges and universities contemplating the adoption and implementation of Lean. He is a certified black belt in Lean Six Sigma. He is a member of the Global Lean HE – Americas steering committee.
Balzer has over 35 years of experience in higher education. He is emeritus professor of IO psychology at Bowling Green State University. He most recently served as Vice President for Faculty Affairs and Strategic Initiatives and helped integrate the application of Hoshin Kanri in university-wide strategic planning. Balzer has served in several leadership roles at the university including program director of the nationally ranked doctoral program in IO psychology, chair of the department of psychology, dean of BGSU’s regional Firelands College, AVP and dean of continuing and extended education, and interim VP for university advancement. He also served as interim President of Owens Community College for the 2020-2021 academic year. Bill received his Ph.D. in industrial-organizational psychology from New York University. He was previously a Fellow of the American Council on Education, and spent his fellowship year working in the office of the president at Wayne State University.